"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

.....The greatest changes occur in their country without their cooperation. They are not even aware of precisely what has taken place. They suspect it; they have heard of the event by chance. More than that, they are unconcerned with the fortunes of their village, the safety of their streets, the fate of their church and its vestry. They think that such things have nothing to do with them, that they belong to a powerful stranger called the government. They enjoy these goods as tenants, without a sense of ownership, and never give a thought to how they might be improved.....

Start on page 13, this caught my eye:In the USA the management of honeybee colonies

The banana starts on page 14.

Beek member claimed he had a hive amongst other hives that had chalkbrood for four years. Local guru said throw in a rotten banana and stand back. Two weeks later no evidence of chalkbrood. It is not scientific but for the cost of a rotton banana that could be laying in the woods anyway what would you choose, the banana or a pound of toxic chemicals? It's a no brain-er for me.

i don't know any chemicals that work for chalkbrood. most of the time it's self limiting. don't see that it could do any harm....

bee-bop, default to the pillow case.

Logged

.....The greatest changes occur in their country without their cooperation. They are not even aware of precisely what has taken place. They suspect it; they have heard of the event by chance. More than that, they are unconcerned with the fortunes of their village, the safety of their streets, the fate of their church and its vestry. They think that such things have nothing to do with them, that they belong to a powerful stranger called the government. They enjoy these goods as tenants, without a sense of ownership, and never give a thought to how they might be improved.....

It almost sounds like a prank they'd pull on the new greenie beekeeper..."put a banana on and stand nearby and watch it work!!" :-D

Like Kathy said...it usually is self limiting, and anybody that had it bad in a hive should be kicked because re-queening is the best cure after a few months of it. I wonder if the banana induces the hive to supercede the queen - that would cure it.

chalkbrood is USUALLY self limiting. i have lost a hive to it in spite of things like requeening. it grows were conditions are good for fungus, and that would be here! in places where moisture is less, and the hive can be ventilated, it is usually self limiting. i also read a couple of reports about getting the temp up in the hive which would probably preclude the ventilating part.....i did close one hive except for small entrance, i hottest part of summer. the chalkbrood cleared up, but i have no idea if the heat in the hive was the reason.

Logged

.....The greatest changes occur in their country without their cooperation. They are not even aware of precisely what has taken place. They suspect it; they have heard of the event by chance. More than that, they are unconcerned with the fortunes of their village, the safety of their streets, the fate of their church and its vestry. They think that such things have nothing to do with them, that they belong to a powerful stranger called the government. They enjoy these goods as tenants, without a sense of ownership, and never give a thought to how they might be improved.....

Beek member claimed he had a hive amongst other hives that had chalkbrood for four years.

Sorry, Kathy, I was referring to this situation, not yours or any particular one here. Maybe that reported episode was a very low-grade case, but this situation seems suspect. I would take that story with a grain or salt...4 years is a long time to endure that in a hive.

Usually increased hygeine amongst the bees will cure, which is why requeening works for long-term cases - they get the problems out sooner before the fungus can spread. The humidity and weather gets it going, but if the bees can keep on top of it, it isn't such a problem.